Classification (optical vs audio instruments): Three devices are used to see distant or tiny objects; one device captures sound. Identify the odd one out.

Introduction / Context:
This item contrasts optical devices with an audio device. Microscopes magnify tiny objects, telescopes magnify distant objects, and spectacles correct vision; all three manipulate light to assist seeing. A microphone, by contrast, transduces acoustic energy into electrical signals for recording or amplification. The task is to isolate the non-optical device among optical ones.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Microscope → optical instrument for high magnification of small subjects.
• Telescope → optical instrument for viewing distant objects (astronomy/terrestrial).
• Spectacles → corrective optical lenses for eyesight.
• Microphone → electroacoustic transducer for sound capture.

Concept / Approach:
Group the devices by primary sensory modality. Three are vision-oriented; one is hearing-oriented. Because the majority manipulate light and the minority manipulates sound, the latter is the odd one under the standard “3 of a kind, 1 different” format.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Ask whether lenses are central to the device. Lenses are essential to microscopes, telescopes, and spectacles; microphones use diaphragms and transducers, not lenses.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Being misled by the shared “micro-/tele-” prefixes. Focus on function, not morphology of the word.

Final Answer:
Microphone